• Wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel and place it on the work surface. Add heavy weights on top, like cookbooks, and set aside for 10 minutes until the towel is wet and the block of tofu is dry.
• Cut tofu into cubes of about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Set aside into a dish that is not too large so the cubes can soak well in the marinade in the next step, or use an environmentally-friendly zip-lock bag to store.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients together. Taste the marinade and adjust with more maple syrup for a sweeter marinade or more chili for a spicy sauce.
• Pour the marinade over the tofu cubes, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and set it aside for 2 hours in the fridge or overnight for the best flavors. I recommend flipping the cubes or shaking the bowl after 1 hour so all sides are well marinated, especially if the dish is slightly too wide. If in a bag, you don't have to do anything.
• Remove the tofu from the marinade and keep the leftover marinade for later in the recipe. Don't eat raw marinade.

Baking Tofu

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spray cooking oil on the paper.
• Spread the cubed tofu in a single layer in the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway and brushing some leftover marinade. Bake until golden and crispy.

Pan-Fry Tofu

• Warm two teaspoons of sesame oil in a non-stick pan over high-medium heat.
• Add the cubes next to each other, don't overlap them. Cook for 10-15 minutes until it gets dark brown, and it dries out on the sides.
• Rotate the cubes with kitchen tongs and keep cooking on the other sides. Add a bit more oil if it sticks too much. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until all sides are golden and crispy.
• At the end of the baking, splash some marinade on the hot pan. It will sizzle and add flavor and a sort of caramel-like sauce to the tofu.
• Serve with my peanut dipping sauce, coconut jasmine rice, noodles, or air fryer sweet potato cubes.